A Breath Of Home
by AvatarofBahamut
Summary: Is Aang really the last Airbender? You may think so...but after he encounters a mysterious girl and her family, something tells him he may not be... Rated T for Violence. No Romance. DISCONTINUED.
1. Prologue

Prologue

_My Grandmother told me the story of how our family came to live in the Earth Kingdom several times. But, I never really paid much attention to it until now. When she told it to me again for the umpteenth time last night, I finally sat and listened, in hopes maybe she wouldn't keep telling me over and over again. _

We didn't always have to hide our talents from the outside world. In fact, we used to have our own communities, and we were once a people all our own. We were the Air Nomads. I lived in the Western Air Temple most of my life with my mother and my flying bison, Eyo. I never had any idea that the winds of war were blowing our way, until it was to late. Until it was the day I had to leave my home, and never return. I was only eleven years old.

I remember waking up that spring morning, the sun was coming up. And, what a beautiful sunset it was. There was a soft wind blowing, too. However, something didn't feel right. I looked out my window, and there seemed to be nothing wrong.

Just then, my mother came in, with an expression of worry on her face. She had two bags with her, one had my clothes, and the other had food and a canteen of water.

"Mother, what's wrong? And, why are my things all packed up? Are we going somewhere?" My mother shook her head.

"You are going to the Earth Kingdom, Kiko, you and Eyo are not coming back." I was startled. Her voice was trembling. But, she was always so calm and serene, like the others sisters at the temple! Why did she say…YOU AND EYO? Why did it sound like she was not coming with us?

"Mom, I don't understand. What's happening?" She shook her head again, and stroked my soft grey hair.

"I'll explain as we get Eyo ready." I smiled and gave her a hug. Tears rolled down her face in streams. I took my glider with me out to the courtyard, where Eyo was sitting. My dear friend grumbled as I climbed onto her back. I noticed three other bison were packed and they were all ready taking off.

"Firelord Sozen is Mad. He has declared war on the other nations in hopes of conquering us all and proving Fire is the superior element. Because we are such peaceful people…he sees us as weaklings, and we are the first of his victims."

"But Mom, I have friends in the Fire Nation? How could all of them turn evil because of this one lunatic?" My mother sighed.

"He is the Firelord, and anyone who disobeys him is considered a traitor to the Fire Nation. I am sorry, my dear Kiko, but I am afraid that things are never going to be the same. The monks have decided to send of few of the children here to the Earth Kingdom, where they should be safe. You were one of the ones who was chosen."

"Why can't you come with me?"

"Kiko, this place has been my home since as far as I can remember. I feel it is my duty to stay here and defend the Western Air Temple as best I can. Most of the others will so the same. You will go to a different place then the other who are leaving. We feel of the Fire Nation will be less likely to destroy our people of they can't find us all at once."

Sometimes I regret that I left. But, then I realize things would not have been any better to stay.

"I know it doesn't make much sense right now, but perhaps when you are older, you know everything. Why this is happening, and if it will ever be resolved." I hugged my mother good-bye before she bid me off.

"I love you, mom."

"I love you, too, my little Kiko."

Suddenly, a Fireball was thrown from down below, and hit the Gazebo that was nearby. The sound of marching could be faintly heard in the distance . With a heavy heart I commanded my Bison to lift off.

"Eyo, yip-yip."

As we ascended the air, another Fireball was thrown at us. Eyo managed to dodge it, but it left a light burn on he fur. Soon, we were off. I turned around to see soldiers coming up the mountain to the temple. A group of them surrounded my mother, and I could see her fighting them relentlessly.

But, as we got farther and farther away, the scene grew smaller and smaller, until my once beloved home was nowhere in sight. I looked around. The others who had fled went in different directions, just as my mother had said. I decided to go strait east.

Each day Eyo and I traveled, and each night we found rest an island somewhere to rest. Our journey was almost a week, and by the time we spotted the mainland, we were running out of food and water.

We reached the Mainland, and after another day or so traveling inland, we spotted an Earth Kingdom village named Daiyun, where I lived ever since.

I was taken in by a kindly farmer and his wife, who became my adopted family until I fell in love and married your grandfather, Mosho, and had your mother, Yumei.

But, I continued to Airbend, for it was the only thing I had left of home besides Eyo, who had passed away not to long ago.

But, I could only Airbend in the privacy of the family's twenty-acre farm, which we still live on. Out of pure blessing, your mother was also able to Airbend, and I taught her everything I knew about our people, including bending.

I was quite surprised when we learned you could Airbend as well! To think, my own granddaughter, raised in the Earth Kingdom, with a dad who's a blacksmith, could still be an Airbender! Because of it I feel truly blessed.

Now your mother and I teach you , Taneiko, the ways of the Air Nomads. Sure, we may not have arrows on our heads or still wear monk clothes, but we still have the same whimsy our people had.

You have jet-black hair, just like your mother, and the cloud-colored eyes of an Air Nomad!

I believe someday, we will no longer have to hide. That will be the day when the Avatar returns…

_I toyed around with my siangham, and thought about what she had said. It gave me hope. I never liked having to hide my Airbending! I'd been like this for all of my short thirteen year old life! Maybe when this Avatar or whatever shows up, we can come clean!_

_I just never thought that day would come so quickly…especially when it may be already here!_

_------------------------------------End of Prologue------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Quick Note: A Siangham is a exotic, dagger-like weapon. Thank you._


	2. The Avatar Cometh!

The Avatar cometh!

_Note: If I spelled anyone's name wrong, please let me know!_

_(Is it Appa or Aeppa?)_

The rays of the afternoon sun stretched out over the sky like reaching arms. I laid under the shade of a towering tree. A gentle breeze blew through my long hair, carrying with it the fragrance of early spring.

I whisked my hand around, and a swirl of air came forth, knocking down a drifting dandelion seed.

"Taneiko! Could you come here for a second? I need you to run an errand for me!" I heard my mother calling me. I sighed, reluctant to leave the comfort of solitude. Couldn't she just leave me to my Airbending?

"NOW, Taneiko!"

I raced to my house, running as fast as I could. I arrived at the doorstep, and bowed respectfully to my mother. She shook her head at me. I turned around to notice cloud of dust trailing behind me on the path.

"Sorry Mom." I shrugged my shoulders. My mother's expression was mildly cross. She shook her finger at me.

"You need to be more careful. What if someone saw you? They might discover our secret, then where would we be?" She scolded me. I hung my head in shame.

"Don't be so harsh on your daughter, Yumei. Nobody did in fact see her. We should look at what is, not what could have been." My grandmother grinned at me from the dining room table. Mom sighed, and handed me a basket.

"Alright, I'll let you go this time. But be more careful about your air bending!" I nodded at her in reply.

"Your father forgot his lunch today. I need you to go into town and give it to him."

"No problem." I smiled, and then was off.

As I went off into town, I took a peak at my father's lunch. Mom had packed him TWO peaches instead of one! She never did that for me. I glared enviously. I was the one in the family who loved peaches.

Soon my attention was no longer on food, as it was now focused on a man coming up the road.

"Taneiko! Boy am I glad to see you! You have to come quickly! We have special guests in town." It was my neighbor, Honda. A spark lit up in my eyes. This guest must be important if Honda came to tell her about it.

"Thank you Mr. Honda, I'll go see right away!" I bowed and bid him a due. I raced excitedly to town, but made sure I wasn't going at airbending speed.

There was a small gathering of people outside the Meeting House when I arrived. I excused myself as I gently pushed my way through. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Standing outside the Meeting House was a Flying Bison. There hadn't been a Flying Bison around since Eyo had died. Could it belong to another Airbender? I asked one of the people next to me what was going on.

"Why, weren't you here earlier? The Mayor is in there… and he is speaking with the Avatar about the problem we've been having."

THE AVATAR WAS IN THERE??? I couldn't even believe what he told me! So, if that was what this was all about…then the Bison…did he belong to the Avatar? Was the Avatar an Airbender? But, the town wasn't having any problems… were we? Nobody had told ME about this!

So many questions filled up my head all at once. Being the curious person that I am, I pushed my way up to the door, and proceeded to go inside.

"You can't go in there! That's a private meeting!" The man called. However, he was so far off in the crowd I could not hear him. So, I opened the door and went inside.

Surely enough, there was the mayor, sitting at the table with four people I had never seen before. I noted the appearance of each of them carefully.

Looking to the Far right, the first of them was a girl with jet-black hair rolled up into a bun. She wore an interesting Earth Kingdom robe, and her expression was a little impatient …and yet… blank. Next to her was a tall guy, about sixteen or so, with a strange blue outfit with a boomerang shaped weapon held in a sash. His hairstyle was quite peculiar, and his demeanor seemed very relaxed…maybe even goofy.

Then, next to him, was a girl with a blue robe. Her hair was exquisite- I could never get it into a hairstyle like that. I saw the necklace around her neck, with the Water tribe symbol engraved on it.

Wow, is she a Waterbender? I thought.

Then the boy to the far right caught my attention especially. He was short, and had the same color eyes I did. He was bald, with an arrow tattoo pointing down his forehead. He wore what looked like monks clothing, similar to the kind my grandmother kept hidden away in the closet back on the farm.

He must be the Avatar…I thought.

"Hey! What are you doing here? This is a private meeting! Shoo!" A guard tried to push me outside.

"Wait! I don't understand what's going on. Nobody ever told me that our town had a problem! I want to know what's going on!"

"Guard, stand down. Taneiko is a trustworthy person. Please, come sit down." The mayor gave the guard a stern look. If there was one thing I could count on, it was the kindness in the Mayor's heart. The Mayor was well acquainted with my father, and I'm sure my father must have said many good things about me.

"Taneiko, I would like to introduce you to our guests. These people are Toph, Sokka, Katara, and this is Aang, the Avatar." He pointed to each of them as he said their names.

"I would like you all to meet Taneiko. Her father is the Blacksmith in this town." I waved to all of them.

"So, Mr. Mayor, what was the problem everyone was talking about?" The Mayor shook his head.

"We've been seeing mysterious trails of dust along the roads, and long paths of flattened grass have been found. We think there is a strange creature running around and we don't know what it is. We think there may even be a restless spirit running lose. So, we're asking the Avatar to find out what's leaving behind these dust clouds, and if it's an animal or restless spirit, try to calm it down, and let it return to the forest, leaving us in peace."

I knew what was causing it. It was ME. I had made sure a million times nobody had seen me using my Airbender speed. Apparently, somebody had seen the trails I had left behind and complained about it. If they were asking the Avatar for help, that person must have complained bitterly… would this mean I would soon have to confess my secret?

Just then, a felt something tug at my ankle. I look down under the table to see a small, furry creature staring up at me with green eyes.

"Prrrr." The creature climbed up to my shoulder, and down my arm, going for my father's lunch.

"Momo! That's not yours." Aang gently scolded the creature. It ran back up my shoulder and sat there.

"It seems you lemur has taken a liking to Taneiko." The mayor chuckled. Suddenly, I got an idea in my head.

"If you're going to be staying here awhile, maybe you can stay on my family's farm. There's a barn where your Bison can sleep, and lots of wide-open space. I'm sure my parents won't mind."

The mayor looked at all four of them.

"Well, what do say? You can't get a better offer than that around here." The mayor encouraged them. They agreed. So, the five of us headed down to my father's workplace where I gave him his lunch. He thanked me for it, and I explained to him what happened in the Meeting House. He put his head up for a moment and thought. Finally, he said it was ok.

"They would have to stay in the big barn though; we don't have enough room in the house." Aang assured them that this was not a problem for them. My father, even though he supported keeping our family's secret…well, secret…he wasn't as paranoid about it as my mom. If he said it was ok, there was little use for her to argue with him about it.

Besides, my grandmother would probably back him up.

As I guided the group back to the farm, the sun had gotten lower in the sky. It was now late, and it would soon be time for me to help mom with cooking the evening meal.

She set some extra places for the Avatar and his companions. But, she made him leave Momo out in the barn with his Bison, who I learned was called Aeppa.

The conversations we had at the table that night mostly involved the Avatar and his friends describing there adventures, and how he thought he was the Last Airbender. I wanted to say, "BUT YOU'RE NOT!"

But, I kept silent. It wasn't fair. I finally knew our family wasn't alone in the world and I had to keep my mouth shut! This could be our chance to stop hiding! I thought.

I would soon get my wish. That night…the cat would begin its way out of the bag…


End file.
